Capitalists Rule Ok? Some Puzzles About Power

Brian Barry
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Brian Barry: Columbia University, USA bmb21@columbia.edu

Politics, Philosophy & Economics, 2002, vol. 1, issue 2, 155-184

Abstract: Even if we do not observe those who own or manage capital doing anything, are there nevertheless good reasons for saying that they have power over government? My thesis is that, on any analysis of `power over others' that enables us to say that voters have power over those elected and that consumers have power over producers, we also have to say that those who own or control capital have power over government. Conversely, the reasons that can be given (and have been given) for denying that owners of capital have power over governments would be equally good reasons for denying that voters have power over governments and that consumers have power over producers.

Keywords: power; capitalism; democracy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2002
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:pophec:v:1:y:2002:i:2:p:155-184

DOI: 10.1177/1470594X02001002001

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